Combination-tip for crutches and canes.



II l/vll uv p v IIVVE/VTOR ATTORNEY S. E. LOUDEN.

COMBINATION TIP FOR CRUTCHES AND CANES.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 19. 1915.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

WITNESSES.- 7.

SAMUEL E. LOUDEN, 0F RIVERSIDE, CONNECTICUT.

COMBINATION-III roR cnuronns AND CANES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application filed March 19, 1915. Serial No. 15,650.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. LOUDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Riverside, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, haveinvented an Improvement in Combination-Tips for Crutches and Canes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to pro vide simple, durable andinexpensive means whereby an ordinary standard crutch or cane tip may beadapted to receive either a prong or a rubber pad and which shallprovide a fiat bearing surface for the pad so that it will not be cut bythe edge of the socket.

In the crutch and cane tips ordinarily in use, no provision is made forconvenient interchange of prongs and tips, the socket being internallythreaded to receive the shank of a pad. The objection to thisconstruction is that the weight of the crutch compresses the pad uponthe end of the socket and causes the socket to cut into the pad and toquickly ruin it. In order to overcome these objections I have devisedthe novel structure which I will now describe, referring to theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and usingreference charactors to indicate the several parts:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing mynovel crutch or cane tip as in use with a rubber pad; Fig. 2 a viewcorresponding substantially with Fig. 1, showing the tip in use with aprong; Fig. 3 a sectional view of the adapter detached, and Fig. 4 is asectional view of a rubber pad detached.

10 denotes a crutch or cane and 11 a standard socket which comprises aflaring mouthpiece and an internally threaded shank into the upper endof which the crutch or cane is turned and into the lower end of whichthe shank of a rubber pad is turned in the crutches and canes in commonuse.

My present invention consists in providing an adapter, indicated as awhole by 12, which engages the socket and is adapted to be engaged by aground-engaging member, as a rubber pad or a prong. This adapter may bemade of metal or of any suitable material that will stand service, andcomprises a shank 13 externally threaded to engage the thread at thelower end of the shank of the socket and a body 14 which is shaped tofit closely within the flaring mouthpiece of the socket and is providedwith a flange 15 which is adapted in the assembled position to restagainst the edge of the mouthpiece. The body is also provided with athreaded hole which receives the threaded shank 16 of either a prong 17or a rubber pad 18. In the case of a prong, the shank and prong may bemade integral. In the case of a rubber pad, the shank is provided with ahead 19, which is molded into the block of rubber comprising the pad.Holes are preferably provided in the head through which the rub berpasses while in plastic condition, which looks the head and the shanksecurely in place.

In use it is simply required that the crutch or cane be provided with astandard socket. The ordinary rubber pad is removed and my novel adapteris turned to place as shown. An important feature is the flange upon theadapter which wholly covers the lower edge of the socket. It is likewiseimportant that the adapter presents a flat face,

indicated by 20, against which the inner face of a pad bears, so thatcutting of the pad by the end of the socket (as in the construction nowin general use) is wholly prevented. It will be obvious that theinterchange of prongs and pads may be eflected by simply turning theprongs out and the pads in, or vice versa, pads being ordinarily usedexcept upon icy sidewalks.

Having thus described my invention I claim 1. In a crutch or cane, thecombination with a socket having a flaring mouthpiece and an internalscrew thread, of an adapter having a threaded shank to engage the threadof the socket, a flange covering the edge of the socket and a threadedhole, and a ground-engaging member having a shank engaging said hole.

2. In a crutch or cane, the combination with a socket having a flaringmouthpiece and an internal screw thread, of an adapter In testimonywhereof I afiix my signature,

lying within the socket and having a flange in presence of tWoWitnesses. V 7

central vthreaded hole, and arubber pad covering the edge thereof, afiat face and a A E H t 5 havin a corresponding face and a .,threade d YWitnesses: V g s ,7 shank adapted to engage the hole in the s WILLIAM A.WILMOT,

adapter. I r v R. J. PALMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. c." r

